Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Jose Mourinho oversaw official training on Friday morning for the first time since returning to Real Madrid for a second spell as head coach.
Saturday's opening game at Espanyol will offer the first serious glimpse of what Mourinho's latest project is all about and how he will try to get the best out of superstar talents Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr.
"(Carlo) Ancelotti has found a Brazil that's perfect for Vini (Vinicius Jr.). (Didier) Deschamps has found a France perfect for Kylian (Mbappe). (Thomas) Tuchel has found it for Jude (Bellingham)," Mourinho said at his press confeerence. "It is harder for Mourinho to find a team that's perfect for the three of them. But there we are. I want the three to feel comfortable on the field when they play."
There was a lot of speculation in the close season that Vinicius Jr might leave Madrid, but in the end the Brazilian forward signed a new six-year deal.
Mourinho maintained he wasn't worried that he might lose such a high-profile player.
"The news wasn't a surprise," he said. "When the club explained his contractual situation to me, my first question was whether he wanted to stay or not. Yes, he wants to stay, they said. At that moment, I felt absolutely calm."
He also spoke about his relationship with Florentino Perez. Mourinho revealed that the club president continued to call him after every Real Madrid title during his 13-year absence: "Every time Real Madrid won a trophy, I got a call from the president," he said.
He then discussed the failed pursuit of Rodri, who eventually joined Barcelona from Manchester City.
"It would have been the icing on the cake," he said. But we actually have (Aurelian) Tchouameni, (Eduardo) Camavinga, (Federico) Valverde, Bernardo (Silva), Arda (Guler), because I think that Arda in the near future, not right now, but he will also be able to play in that position. So it's not that we have a problem or that we have to go get another player."
Jose Mourinho oversaw official training on Friday morning for the first time since returning to Real Madrid for a second spell as head coach.
Saturday's opening game at Espanyol will offer the first serious glimpse of what Mourinho's latest project is all about and how he will try to get the best out of superstar talents Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr.
"(Carlo) Ancelotti has found a Brazil that's perfect for Vini (Vinicius Jr.). (Didier) Deschamps has found a France perfect for Kylian (Mbappe). (Thomas) Tuchel has found it for Jude (Bellingham)," Mourinho said at his press confeerence. "It is harder for Mourinho to find a team that's perfect for the three of them. But there we are. I want the three to feel comfortable on the field when they play."
There was a lot of speculation in the close season that Vinicius Jr might leave Madrid, but in the end the Brazilian forward signed a new six-year deal.
Mourinho maintained he wasn't worried that he might lose such a high-profile player.
"The news wasn't a surprise," he said. "When the club explained his contractual situation to me, my first question was whether he wanted to stay or not. Yes, he wants to stay, they said. At that moment, I felt absolutely calm."
He also spoke about his relationship with Florentino Perez. Mourinho revealed that the club president continued to call him after every Real Madrid title during his 13-year absence: "Every time Real Madrid won a trophy, I got a call from the president," he said.
He then discussed the failed pursuit of Rodri, who eventually joined Barcelona from Manchester City.
"It would have been the icing on the cake," he said. But we actually have (Aurelian) Tchouameni, (Eduardo) Camavinga, (Federico) Valverde, Bernardo (Silva), Arda (Guler), because I think that Arda in the near future, not right now, but he will also be able to play in that position. So it's not that we have a problem or that we have to go get another player."
